Toy automobile



Jan. 8, 1935. Q A BRETHEN 1,987,463

TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed June 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E' C/karZesH ,Breferz ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1935. c. A. BRETHEN 1,987,463

TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed June 19, 1953 2 Sheetsheet 2 WWW ATTORNEY PatentedJan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY AUTOMOBILE Application June19, 1933, Serial No. 676,513

' 8 Claims. (01. 46-48) This invention relates to toy automobiles andthe object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile in which theentire automobile including streamlined wheel housings is made from onepiece of sheet metal with the exception of the wheels and axles whichare assembled afterwards.

Another object of the invention is to provide a one piece toy automobilein which the outer edges of the wheel housings form the supports for theaxles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile formedfrom fairly heavy gage sheet metal in which the blank is arranged sothat the wheel housings are formed integrally with the body and yetprovide apparently separate wheel housings for each wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy automobile in whichthe wheel housings are formed integrally with the body and provideseparate streamlined pockets for each wheel.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention arehereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form ofconstruction by which these objects are attained is shown in theaccompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a plan view of the blank fromwhich the toy automobile is made.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the flat blank taken on line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the automobile body and wheel housings formedfrom the blank shown in Fig. l. I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the completed stampmg.

Fig. 6 is a section through the formed automobile body taken on line 6-6of Fig. 3.

40 Fig. '7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3 and showing thefront axle and wheels in position.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3 and showing the rearaxle and wheels in posi- 45 tion.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the completed toy automobile.

Fig. is a bottom view thereof.

The blank from which the toy automobile is made is shown in Fig. 1 andcomprises a body portion 1, a radiator portion 2 and a series of fourportions 3 which when formed up are shaped to provide streamlined wheelhousings which are more commonly known as wheel pants. Each portion 3 isconnected to the body 1 by an intermediate narrow portion 4 and anaperture 5 is provided in the outer edge ,of eachportion 3. This blankis flat as indicated in Fig. 2 and is ready for the forming operations.In the forming operations, the body of the toy automobile is formed fromthe body portion 1 of the blank and an opening 6 is provided from whichthe displaced metal is bent to form a seat 7 as shown in Fig. 6. At thesame time, the cowl 8 at the opposite edge of the aperture 6 is flaredupwardly, as shown, while the rear end 9 of the body is shaped to astreamline contour. Also in the forming operation, a transverse rib 10is provided to form a hood-line while simulated exhaust pipes 11 arepressedout of each side of the body near the bottom edge. At the sametime, the louvres 12'are formed and the radiator portion 2 is formed toprovide a V front as shown.

The streamlined wheel housings 3 are also formed to the contour shown inFigs. 3, 4, 5 and 9 and the intermediate narrow portions 4 connect thesewheel housings integrally with the body. When the wheel housings orwheel pants are formed, it will be noted from Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8 thatthe outer edge of the wheel housings containing the apertures 5 extendsbelow the intermediate portion 4 and below the inner edge of therespective wheel housing so that the apertures 5 provide bearings forthe axles 13 of the toy automobile. The intermediate portions 4 whichconnect the wheel housings or wheel pants to the body are flat and asthe blank is made of fairly heavy gage metal, these portions 4 firmlyconnect the housings 3 to the body.

With the body completed as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 it is onlynecessary to position the wheels 14 in the respective wheel housings orwheel pants, at which time, the axle 13 may be inserted through theapertures 5 in the outer edges of the wheel housings and through theWheel centers afterwhich the ends of the axles may be riveted over thussecuring the axles in place and also securing the wheels 14 in therespective wheel housings or wheel pants. At this time the toyautomobile is completed and ready for use, as shown in Fig. 9. As willbe noted from Figs. 7, 8 and 10, the axles extend just beneath the flatintermediate portions 4 connecting the body and the wheel housings sothat should too much weight be placed on the body the portions 4 rest onthe axles and assist in supporting the body. At this time the axleswould be supported at four points in their length and it would takeconsiderable pressure under this condition to bend the axles. Also byproviding the bearings for the axles in the outer edges of the wheelhousings, extreme ease in assembly is provided as well as neatappearance.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, '7 and 9 brackets 17 are provided on eachside of the radiator 2 which are pressed to conical or cup-shaped formto simulate headlights. These brackets are first formed in the blankshown in Fig. '1 and then are pressed to cup-shaped form shown in Fig. 3and twisted slightly to bring them into a vertical plane. These may beprovided as integral parts of the radiator, if desired, or left offaltogether.

From the foregoing description it becomesevident that the device maybesimply and'cheaply manufactured, may be stamped entirely from one pieceof metal with the exception of the wheels and axles, provides integralwheel housings or wheel pants firmly connected to the body and providesa device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention its utility and mode ofoperation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is-- i I 1. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metalbody member, a series of wheel housings formed integrally with the bodymember, the outer edges of the wheel housings extending downwardly and apair of axles rotatably mounted in the outer edges of the wheelhousings.

2. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series ofwheel housings formed integrally with the body member, the metal beingshaped to provide flat portions connecting the body and the respectivewheel housings and a pair of axles rotatably supported by the wheelhousings and extending beneath said flat portions.

3. In a toy automobile, 'a one piece sheet metal body member, a seriesof wheel housings formed integrally with the body member, axlesrotatably supported by the wheel housings and a wheel in each wheelhousing rotatably mounted on the respective axle.

4. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series ofwheel housings formed integrally with the body member and axlesrotatably supported by the wheel housings.

5. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member, a series ofwheel housings formed integrally with the body member and a wheelrotatably supported by each wheel housing.

6.. In a toy automobile, a sheet metal blank having 'enlargedportions onthe opposite sides connected to the body of the blank by narrowerportions, the blank being shaped to form a toy automobile body and theside enlargements being formed to enclose the upper side of a wheel, theouter edges of said enlargement extending slight- 1y beneath theremainder of the toy automobile and a series of axles rotatablysupportedby said outer edges.

. 7. In a toy automobile, a one piece sheet metal body member and aseries of wheel housings formed integrally with and spaced from thesides of said body member, each wheel housing being shaped to enclosethe upper half of a wheel, a pair of axles rotatably supported by saidwheel housings and a wheel in each wheel housing supported on therespective axle.

8. In a toy automobile, a sheet metal body, a pair of wheel housingsextending from opposite sides of the body and an axle rotatablysupported by the wheel housings.

CHARLES A. BRETHEN.

